Pride vs. Guilt

It's here! Wednesday, is finally here! I don't know what kind of week you've had so far, but I can tell you that mine has been nonstop. As a writer, I've gotten pretty used to determining the flow of my schedule; but, for the past few days I can't say that I've actually been able to do that very well. Truthfully, I've been caught up in everyone else's time management - and those, in particular, who have children starting to school this week. Not only has this included parents but, also, teachers as well. Throughout this exercise, one of my duties to myself has been to stay centered, as much as possible, while I commute to my appointments, wait for late arrivals and, at the very least, offer carefully selected words of encouragement to those with whom I'm meeting. You know the game, "Hurry up and Wait." But, in the midst of all of this, who is it that realizes the depth of commitment I have to my current projects and gives me the same level of support?  Most times, that would be . . .  me. And, I make it a point to use that strategy in every single project I take on.  

So, let's talk about how BED sufferers generally reward themselves at the end of the day. You know where I'm going with this. Can't you just see us sitting in our respective beds, sorting through what foods we're going to eat first, and then topping it all off with whatever flavor choice of ice cream we happen to want at the time?  After all, isn't that what we deserve to do after a long day filled with frustrations? I would hope not, but sometimes we know the truth is different

Having said all of this, I'm going to ask you the very same question I ask myself. Do you actually watch how much food you're putting first on your plate, second on your eating utensil and finally in your mouth? Ridiculous as it may seem, when I know I'm in a stress-related eating situation, I do. And I do this with one thought in mind: Maybe I'll feel less guilty. BED sufferers know all about guilt. It's our best buddy - right up there with frustration. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to offer a way to help you binge-eat successfully. But what I do have to offer is a strategy to put a BED episode in its place – along with, successfully, telling it to "stay there."  

You know what they say about exercising at night? Well, guess what? Studies now show that exercising at night can be one of the best things you can do for your body. Benefits include stress relief, social interaction, and better cooperation from your body toward your exercise routine. But, did you get that first one I mentioned? If not, I'll say it again: Stress relief.  No, you won't stay up all night from getting pumped up 7PM. But, guess what? You will, more than likely, let those endorphins have their way with you, your body, and your sleep pattern. This means, you’ll be tired. Some call it "dead-tired," or "dog-tired," or ... whatever.  But, whatever you may want to call it, your body will be tired. And, it probably won't want any carbohydrates or sugar.  That translates into no hamburgers, French fries, submarine sandwiches, potato chips or … ice cream, in bed. I, personally, put this to the test just a few days ago; and, while I can tell you that it takes a couple of days for your nervous system to understand that there's no junk food coming down the pike to make things "all better," on about the third day, it starts to crave something else - exercise.

If you're a BED sufferer, I hope you'll put this strategy in your "bag of tricks" to help you manage your binge-eating episodes.  We know that while it won't cure the cause of them, adopting successful strategies to counter them can go a long way in contributing toward resulting feelings of pride and accomplishment, instead of guilt.
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